Making the case for Jets selecting Jalyn Holmes in NFL Draft

As the New York Jets prepare for the 2018 NFL Draft, there is a strong chance they can bolster their defensive line in Round 3. Here’s a case for the Jets selecting Jalyn Holmes out of Ohio State.

Now that the free agency frenzy is effectively over, the New York Jets still have a few areas of need they’ll likely address in the 2018 NFL Draft. From offensive guard, cornerback, and defensive end, it’s expected the Jets will use their third-round pick on one of these positional groups.

It’s easy to see that the Jets will likely want to address their defensive line considering they have a void to fill after parting ways with Muhammad Wilkerson. Ideally, it would make sense to draft another stud to partner up with Leonard Williams down the road to make the Jets defensive line a strength again.

Heading into this year’s draft, the Jets made a blockbuster trade in order to move up from the No. 6 overall pick to No. 3. Doing so, they parted ways with a lot of draft capital to the point where they don’t even have a second-round pick.

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After they use their No. 3 overall pick, the Jets don’t select again until Round 3 with the No. 72 overall pick. It’s hard to predict which defensive ends will still be available when the Jets are on the clock here but make no mistake about it, defensive end Jalyn Holmes out of Ohio State would be a solid selection.

In four years with the Buckeyes, Holmes totaled 85 tackles, 15 for a loss of yards, and five sacks. While his final collegiate statistics aren’t exactly mind-blowing, his upside is tremendous. At 6-5 and 270lbs., Holmes brings incredible strength, keen defensive instincts, and will likely end up as a hidden gem for the Jets in the future if he ends up getting drafted in Round 3.

Holmes has yet to hit his ceiling due to always being in a rotational role. Keep in mind that as always when it comes to Ohio State defensive ends, their system of rotating players obviously hits their stats sheet. Such is the case with Holmes who has yet to play his best football on a consistent basis since he was mostly used in key defensive situations while being subbed in/out more often than not.

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Holmes tackles hard and with purpose as he’d be a perfect fit for the Jets defensive line to be used in situations to stop a third-down conversion and in sub packages. He’d likely not be a starter in his rookie season, regardless where he ends up, but has the potential with good coaching and training to reach such a status within a year or two of being in the NFL. Since the Jets are rebuilding the right way, Holmes would be a good weapon to develop that could be a force to reckon with down the road.